Found on YouTube. Created by "Deano C". Originally published on 2021-10-28.
The Ever Act, the worlds largest and the second to be built out of a series of 12 record breaking vessels prepares to depart Felixstowe Berth 9 with a maximum draught of 10.2 metres for her next port of Hamburg.
As the DFDS ferry was heading inbound at the North Shipwash, Harwich VTS had asked then to make best speed so they planned to get the Suecia Seaways through before the Ever Act broke away.
A Harwich Haven Pilot Launch heads over from Harwich with a pilot for the Ever Act. Steadily the 5 cranes that were finishing cargo started to boom up one by one As the wind was a brisk south westerly there were four tugs that was ordered by the ships agent for departure.
Once the Harwich Haven pilot was onboard he radios radios VTS confirms that they were almost ready for departure with a maximum draught of 10.2 metres bound for Hamburg and requests the services and the tugs. The four Svitzer tugs begin to break away from the tug pontoon round to the Ever Act. The pilot goes through the plan that he would like the big tugs on the centre leads and the other two on the quarter and shoulder then come off the berth square into the middle of the Channel. Release the forward tug then the shoulder and quarter tugs then a centre line transit around the Beach End with the two big tugs
Berthing Master radios the pilot to say the crane in front of bridge had a little issue with booming up and wouldn't be able to get in the designated safe position but this wasn't going to muck up the departure, they decided to rolled the crane ahead away from the bridge also keeping it away from the flare of the bow.
Svitzer Kent makes fast centre lead aft on a bollard with a safe rating of 140t. Svitzer Sky makes fast starboard quarter on a bollard with a safe rating of 140t. Svitzer Shotley makes fast starboard shoulder on a bollard with a safe rating of 140t. Svitzer Deben makes fast centre lead forward in a bollard with a safe rating of 140t.
As the lines were released two by two, the springs were the last to be let go fore and aft. All the tugs were in position ready for the pull off. Finally the springs were clear of the bollards. The pilot gets all the tugs to build up to 25% just to lift her off the fenders then up to full power to do a square pull off the berth. The pilot kicks the main engine ahead a few times as there was a brisk south westerly breeze gusting 24 knots. Safely in the middle of the Channel the pilot rumbles the main engine ahead letting go of the Deben first then the Sky and then the Shotley. Once the Deben was gone and clear, they come round onto the port quarter ready for the corner.
Approaching the Fort Buoy, the pilot gets the Kent to move out onto the starboard side for a powered indirect around the 90° Beach End turn out of the harbour. Navigated safely out, the pilot stands down the Deben and then gets the Kent to close up to the transom to let go from aft. Both tugs head back into the harbour to await the inbound Cosco Shipping Pisces.
